Canada one of five countries to pledge assistance to help Nigeria find missing schoolgirls

OTTAWA —Canada is now one of only five countries around the world that have answered a Nigerian plea to help in the search for almost 300 schoolgirls kidnapped by a militant Islamist group, Boko Haram, reports Mike Blanchfield.

UNITED STATES
The U.S. government is sending to Nigeria a team of technical experts, including military and law enforcement personnel skilled in intelligence, investigations, hostage negotiating, information sharing and victim assistance, as well as officials with expertise in other areas. Fewer than 10 military troops are also going.

BRITAIN
Prime Minister David Cameron’s office said Britain will send a small team of experts to Nigeria, following protests over the weekend outside the Nigerian Embassy in London and editorials calling for action. The office of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said Britain would use satellite images and other tracking technologies to help in the search.

FRANCE
A specialized French team will be arriving soon in Nigeria, according to President François Hollande’s office. It wasn’t immediately clear if the team was made up of a special military unit or intelligence agents. France also said it would make available observation equipment. France has satellite means and two unarmed U.S.-made drones in neighbouring Niger used to track extremists in Mali.

CHINA
Premier Li Keqiang visited Nigeria on Wednesday and met with Jonathan, whose office said the Chinese leader promised that his government “will make any useful information acquired by its satellites and intelligence services available to Nigeria’s security agencies.” The statement also said China will support “Nigeria’s fight against terrorism in every possible way, including the training of military personnel for anti-insurgency operations.”

A screengrab taken on March 24, 2013 from a video obtained by AFP shows a man claiming to be the leader of Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau. (AFP/Getty Images)

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird decided Wednesday the fate of hundreds of abducted teenage girls in Nigeria would come ahead of his outspoken condemnation of an outbreak of homophobic laws in several African countries, including Nigeria.

Baird pledged Canada’s unwavering support to help free the female students abducted by Islamic extremists.

Canada will supply surveillance equipment to help Nigeria find the girls, even though it has long-standing concerns about the country’s human rights record, the Harper government said Wednesday.

Baird made clear that any loans of Canadian military hardware to Nigeria would be accompanied by Canadian military personnel to operate it.

“We obviously would have concerns, with Nigeria, with their human rights record and many issues,” he said.

Without mentioning it specifically, Baird appeared to be referencing Nigeria’s relatively new law that further criminalizes homosexuality. The Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act criminalizes homosexual clubs and organizations, and carries a maximum 14-year prison term.

It is not as strict as Uganda’s anti-gay law, which Baird has also slammed, sparking heated public exchanges with the government in Kampala.

But on a January visit to Nigeria, Baird said Canada was deeply concerned with the law and he called on the government to repeal it. Baird called for the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Nigerians regardless of sexual orientation.

On Wednesday, Baird made clear there was no way Canada would agree to Nigeria’s original request to turn over “millions” of dollars in military hardware without strings attached.

That said, Canada wants to do everything it can to help rescue the hundreds of girls aged 12 to 15 who were kidnapped by Islamic militants from a school in Nigeria three weeks ago, Baird said.

“This has been a foreign policy priority for Canada. The rights of women, the rights of girls, the campaign against early marriage … gender violence and terrorism is obviously something which is a huge concern for us,” Baird said.

“I think that is what has captivated the attention of Canadians and frankly people around the world that are just horrified at this repugnant act.”